DHARAMSHALA, November 8: The second edition of the North America Gyalyum Chenmo Memorial Gold Cup (GCMGC) will be played in New York next year, the Tibetan National Sports Association announced today.

Tibetan National Sports Association (TNSA) will be collaborating with the Tibetan Community of New York and New Jersey in organizing the football tournament in memory of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s mother from August 31, 2018 to September 3, 2018.

Passang Dorjee, Executive Director of TNSA said that that tournament is to provide an opportunity for Tibetan youth outside India to participate and also to promote friendship and unity amongst Tibetan communities in the region.

The prize money has been tentatively set at US$ 3000, said Dorjee.

The apex sport body organized its first ever GCM tournament outside India in Toronto in 2016 and was participated by 12 teams from the US and Canada. Toronto Cholsum FC won the first edition by defeating New York Tibet United in penalties.

The success of 2016 edition of the sister tournament of main GCM held every year in India has prompted the organization to host the second edition. The next year’s main GCM tournament will be held in Tibetan Dekyi Larso settlement (TDL) in Bylakuppe from March 31, 2018.

The tournament was first held in 1981 and has become the biggest sporting event of the Tibetan exile community.

TNSA took over the responsibility of organizing the tournament in 2003. Last year, Tashiling Himalaya FC from Darjeeling won the tournament after beating five-time champion Dhondupling FC of Clement town with a score line of 2-0 in Kollegal Tibetan settlement in South India.